Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Bali Day 4

With Day 1 label as The busy Bali City Life, Day 2 as Balinese relaxation, Day 3 as The holiness of Bali, Day 4 will be a conclusion of our Bali Trip with the theme of 'The Nature Walk of Bali'. Reason why it was call as such is due to the place we visited are mainly natural sightseeing.

Day 4 start with normal routine of morning walk around Ubud. We then headed back to our resort swimming pool for a nice swim to start the day with the refreshing mind.

We then pack our luggage and snap thousand of photo around the hotel as remembrance of such a nice hotel.

After a sad bid of good bye, we venture ourselves to Pasar Seni Sukawati which sell local souvenir. There is also one wet market opposite Pasar Seni Sukawati. We start our day with a good and cheap breakfast of Nasi Campur Ayam and Teh Botol for the price of Rupiah 10,000. That is dirt cheap...

Lot of bargain take place in Sukawati and the hardcore seller use what ever tactic to ensure you buy their product. So be extra careful.

Next we headed to Pura Tirta Empul at Tampaksiring. A scared spring temple. It was so holy that ladies with period are not allowed to enter the holy water area. The first Gabenor of Indonesia owned a residences at the hill beside the temple. The spring water is so cooling that it feel like waterfall water. There is some local residences take a dip inside the holy water to clean away all sin and get blessing from the goddess.

Next stop is to Kintamani to have a spectacular view of Mount Batur also known as Batur Gunung Berapi. The view is stunning and we snap photo non stop that some of our camera run out of battery or memory. The volcano is still active although it had not erupted for many years. We just wont know when will it erupt again. However, the left over lava from the previous eruption is still clearly to be seen.

The stunning view left our jaw dropping and we hardly want to say good bye to this area. However due to shortage of time, we even have to cancel off our buffet lunch overseeing the volcano. The only annoying part about Mount Batur visit is the seller keep on hardcore selling their product to us even we have decline zillion of time. Well, we do have some victim who is kind enough to buy something from them....hehehe..

We then headed to Tegalalang Terrence for the paddy field over the hill. The road from Kintamani to Tegalalang was actually very near but due to closure of the main road for repair, our driver have no choice but to use a hilly, and isolated road that taken about 1 hour of our time. Time was wasted and we are extremely hungry by the time we arrive Tegalalang that we snap few photos and settle ourselves for late lunch.


It was already 3pm when we left Tegalalang and we must be at airport by 6pm. The journey from Tegalalang to Denpasar Airport will be around 2 hour depending on the traffic. I know last minutes shopping at Legian or Kuta sound impossible already thus we arrange for Denpasar shopping for local delicacy to be brought back. What else if not Kuih Lapis. As I am not fan of Kuih Lapis, I didnt buy any but the others buy at least one Kuih Lapis to bring back. The price is 90,000 Rupiah for Kuih Lapis that weight about 500gram. It taste good from the sample provided. Maybe it was still popping hot from the oven.

We arrive at Airport at 5.20pm and we snap the last photo with Mr Bagus, our driver for the whole trip. If there is one things i purchase during Bali trip that I really treasure the most, I would say the amount pay to engage Mr Bagus as driver and the MPV is something I will never ever forget. It was the best things we ever hire in Bali.

As we check in and do last minutes shopping at Denpasar Airport, Shyan Hui and Oi Mei that depart much later than us when to Kuta Shopping Mall and shop in Sogo. Shyan Hui manage to do last minutes manicure and pedicure before headed back to KL.

Flight with AirAsia is always pleasant. It depart on time and arrive slightly earlier but the landing for this flight is kinda bad as it was too shaking. The plane also park super far from the arrival hall that by the time we walk and complete our custom, it had already been 1 hour wasted and by the time we arrive KL Sentral, all public transport already terminate their services.

Conclusion

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Video for Day 3

Video for Day 3

Bali Day 3

We start Day 3 with a clear mind...

Wake up at 6 am and the sky start to bright up already. Change to Nike T-shirt 'We Run KL' to run at Bali. We run pass by the Monkey Forest and all the way to our new hotel for a early preview. Our new hotel is the place where the movie 'Eat Pray Love' been shoot.

After a refreshing morning run, we headed back for swimming in the hotel pool. The water wasn't that clear thus we just swim for few minutes before heading off for quite shower and breakfast.

Then we check out and move to Tegal Sari where we were welcome with welcome drink and short tour of the hotel. The tour include a visit to the most luxury room which I try to get but it was fully book. Everyone jaw is dropping looking at the nice room.

We then headed back to previous hotel as I left my small bag there. Thank god the staff keep it for me. We then go to Pasar Ubud for brief shopping. There is a lot of things there but 'bargain' is the big word. Everything must be bargain. Cut the price into half at least. In some cases, I even cut to 80% and they still sell to me, well with black face of course....hehe...

Next stop Ibu Oka Babi Guling, one of the famous one in Bali. The staff come with whole babi on a tray place on her head. But cant get the photo as she walk too fast and by time I want to snap, the person had left the babi on the table. Mind you, we arrive at 11am and the first babi had already sold off. The new arrival of second babi is quietly been skinned off and chop into pieces for our meal...

We then cross the road to this old palace use to be accommodation for the King of Ubud back then. Nothing interesting though....

Next stop is Pura Taman Ayun, the temple in the park. Well, Shyan Hui ask me about the history of the temple and i kinda create a story to cheat her but my story came out to be true. This temple use to be place of worship for the king and queen back then. Erm, seem like I am qualified to be tour guide thought :-)



The temple is beautiful because serounded by lush green and beautiful landscape. We are kinda of bad luck as it start to rain suddenly immediately after we pay for entrace fees. Maybe i snap the photo of their prayer item that I get cursed...

Next stop is Tegal Sari Coffee and Spice garden....What a co-incident....Same name as our hotel name...hehe....Here we are given free sample of coco drink, ginseng coffee, teh halia, teh limau and balinese coffee.....For Luwak coffee, we have to purchase it with 40 thousand rupiah.

Know what is Luwak Coffee? Luwak Coffee is well known as the most expensive coffee in the world for one reason....it was make out of SHIT.....yes, is shit...of civet cat.


Civet cat is feed with coffee bean and the output of civet poop is dried, cleaned and process into coffee....Interesting ya....People pay thousand for a SHIT....sorry, it wasnt my cup of coffee after I take a sip of it...

Ok....after a wet visit to the coffee plantation, we headed back to our van and off we go up the hill and down the hill for Pura Ulu Danu at Lake Bratan. Before that we stop at the highest peak nearby strawberry farm to snap magnifience view of whole Bali landscape. Sadly, camera not that good enough so cant capture good photos...

Pura Ulu Danu, or temple by the lake is located in the middle of Lake Bratan. Lake Bratan is natural lake produce due to volcano million years ago and the view is good. Air in this area is cooling enough and we have nice time shooting picture here. What it turn out to be the sad part is the temple actually just located less than 10 metre away from the land as what I perceived to be really in the middle of the lake. But, well, photograph can cheat people somehow...Haha




Next stop is Tanah Lot....but from Pura Ulu Danu to Tanah Lot, it will take about 1.5 hours to 2 hours so everyone take a nap in the car. As the organiser I always sit in front together with driver to accompany him to ensure he dont fall asleep but for the journey to Tanah Lot, sorry to say I cant tahan that I fall a sleep.


Tanah Lot, the holy temple by the sea. One have to cross the sea during low tide to the temple for holy water and prayers. There is even holy snake nearby which I do not visit. Not fancy of snake and dont feel like forking out money to look for the snake. We cross the sea toward the temple which located about 25 metre away. Was wash away by the big wave and get ourselves wet.


Once we arrive, we wash our hand and face with holy water and make donation. The holy person in charge will then place some rice with holy water on our forehead and flower on our ear. Well, nothing great about the sunset that day as it was cloudy.

We decide not to wait for sunset as it was way too cloudy to see anything. We then headed back to Ubud for bebek bengil at Dirty Duck. There is a story behind this restaurant which I gonna blog about in harkausiewmai.blogspot.com soon. Read the food blog for more news about the food.


That end our very holy day in Bali visiting temple of the garden, lake and sea.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Video for Bali Day 2

Day 2 Video


bali - Day 2 (Adventure yet relaxing)

Wake up at 6.30 am for no reason.........and that the way I start my Day 2 in Bali.

After a relaxing shower, I scroll around Kuta town at 7.30am which is consider very bright for that timing compare to Malaysia. I sroll along Kuta Square where the second bombing in Bali taken place. It look like death place as there is no one walking by and all shop is still close.

We head back to hotel for check out as we are suppose to check into another hotel in Ubud. Mr Bagus brief us that journey to Ubud take 2 hours time and it will eat into our leisure time, thus he arrange for another van to fetch our luggage to Ubud while we headed to Nusa Dua for more fun.

We ask Mr Bagus for a good breakie and he bring us to this Nasi Pedas place. Nasi Pedas is actually a Nasi Campur but the chilli was very spicy. I kinda like the Nasi Pedas....Yum Yum

We then make our way to Nusa Dua for water sport. We opt for banana boat and parasailing. The banana boat is damm fun as we were brought to the middle of the sea and throw to the sea. Parasailing was fun but was way too short for me to enjoy. I hope it can be longer....

After a exciting watersport, we ask Mr Bagus to bring us for some local snack and he brought us to Tahu Tipat. Tahu Tipat is actually Tafu with ketupat serve in special cause and some vege. It taste damm good. I believe we are the only tourist that would sit down beside the road side enjoying local delicacy.

We then headed for spa at Moon Tee Spa in Nusa Dua area. 200,000 Rupiah for 2 hours of spa session come with 1 hour of balinese massage with aromatherapy, body scrup, body mask and flower bath.

After the relaxing massage, we end up with Ayam Bertutu place recommended by Mr Bagus. The chickens is nice but we all are simply too sleepy to enjoy the food. Well, all just wake up from sleep after the relaxing spa.

Next stop is Nusa Dua Beach at the luxury resort Nusa Dua District. Calm blue sea full of foreigner with bikini and trunk sun bathing and kids playing with sea water.

Our next stop is the Uluwatu Temple. The temple by the cliff. There is lot of monkey and they snatch glasses, slipper and anything they like....So beware....Our group, Nicholas glasses was stolen and bite into pieces while Ooi Mei's slipper is been snatched and licked by the monkey.



On the journey back, we stop by to take photo with God Garuda....the most powerful god in Indonesia according to our driver...


Next, we have most luxury food in our life. Romantic beach side dinner overseeing sunset. This dinner cost us 1,500,000 Rupiah which is about RM 540. Well, we have lobster, crab, prawn, squid, fish and lala....

We end our day with 2 hours journey back to Ubud, where our new hotel (Ubud Bungalow) is located. I would say the hotel is really worth every single cent we pay for except it was really quite, dark and bath tab was kinda dirty....

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Video for Day 1 at Bali

Day 1 In Bali




Credit to George Tan for the amazing video

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